1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to access control gates. More specifically, the present invention relates to fail-safe operation of access control gates during health and safety events.
2. The Relevant Technology
A turnstile is a commonly found example of an access control gate that can be placed at entry or exit gatelines to process pedestrians through the gate. The turnstile ensures that pedestrians can only pass through the gate in one direction and only one pedestrian can pass through at a time. A payment device can be used in conjunction with a turnstile to automate the fee collection and access granting processes. For example, a payment device that accepts coins, tokens, tickets, or cards can be placed next to the turnstile and can operate the turnstile to grant passage only if a valid payment has been received.
Turnstiles with payment devices can be used in a wide variety of settings to restrict access to paying customers. While turnstiles are most commonly found in mass transit systems, they can also be utilized at stadiums and sporting events, amusement parks and attractions, or any other setting where payment is collected in exchange for access to a restricted area.